Back to School

It's almost time.  On Thurday August 17, Creston kids return to school for a new school year.  Here are some tips to get you and your kids ready:

• Early to Bed, Early to Rise:  I remember eons ago when I was a kid, sleep schedules went out the window the day after the school year ended. I have always been a night owl and would stay up really late and then sleep until at least noon.  Then the new school year came and I had so much trouble going to sleep at a "decent" time and getting up early enough to be ready for school on time. If I had kids, I would start getting them into the school year bed time and wake up times a few weeks before the new school year starts. They say it takes 21 days to form a new habit, so I would recommend easing into the school year bed times and wake up times about 3 weeks before the new year begins.
• Re-establish a Routine:  When the school year ended, all routines went out the window along with the bed times and wake-up times.  It is important to establish consistent routines for kids. Write out the steps in the routine and practice them with your kid(s). In the evening, that can include doing homework, brushing their teeth, having a bath and reading before bed.
• Encourage Independence: It is so hard to let your kids spread their wings and fly, but it is so important to give them some freedom to make decisions and take on responsibility. Get your kids actively involved in preparing for back to school.  They can pick out their school supplies and organize them in a way that works best for them. I used to LOVE picking out notebooks with cool pictures on the cover. (Eons later, I still love notebooks.  And pens.) They can also go clothes shopping and pick out new outfits. The more involved they are in the process, the more excited they may be about going back to school. If your child is old enough for chores, assigning daily, age-appropriate tasks will help them gain independence and confidence. We all know confidence can take us a long way.   
• Choose the right backpack:  We did not have cool backpacks when I was a kid like they do now. The right backpack is important for many reasons. If a backpack is too heavy or worn improperly, the result could be muscle strain, headaches and neck pain. Try to pick a backpack made of sturdy, lightweight fabric with wide, padded straps that will support your child's shoulders. Watch that they don't sling it over just one shoulder (which is how I always used to do it...oops.)  Backpacks with wheels and handles also exist to make transporting books and supplies easier.  We didn't have those, either, back in the olden days. 
• Talk about safety: I know that it sometimes isn't fun to talk about safety, but it's important. Review outdoor safety rules such as looking both ways before crossing the street, taking the same route to and from school every day, being familiar with crosswalk rules, and being cautious about interacting with strangers.   

• Establish Healthy Habits: Involve your kids in picking and fixing healthy lunches and snacks. Help them find physical activities that they enjoy.  Take them shopping for healthy snack and lunch items that they can pack themselves. Try to stick to regular meal times as well.  (Eating healthy will seem cooler when the kids are the ones making the healthy choices.) 
• Limit Screen Time: It may seem kind of hypocritical to impose screen time limits on our kids when some of us spend just as much time on our devices as they do (if not more).  But part of being a parent is telling your kids to do one thing while you are allowed to do something else because you're the adult.  Am I right?  That said, back to school is the perfect opportunity to re-establish screen time limits.  And if we choose not to be part of the "Do As I Say, Not As I Do" camp, we could all limit our screen time together.  Set a time to "unplug" and do other things together as a family.  The kids can do homework while the parents also work (if they have to bring work home with them) or read a book or do some other activity that doesn't involve devices. Pick a spot where everyone can plug in their devices to charge overnight and use an alarm clock instead of a cell phone to wake up in the morning. (Yeah, I use my iPhone as an alarm. Do not be like me...)
• Map It Out: IF your kids are starting at a new school, practice walking or driving to the bus stop or to the school building a week or two before school starts. You could even use the opportunity to play with your kids at the school playground (more "unplugged" time!). This creates fun memories associated with the school before summer vacation ends. 
• Talk about first-week jitters: Being nervous is natural when confronted with something new.  But new experiences can also be exciting. If your kids are nervous, reassure them that this is perfectly natural. You can even tell them that the teachers get nervous, too. You can help your kids cope with their nerves by letting them express their fears, and even offer stories about times when you were nervous. Teach them breathing techniques to help them calm their nerves. Talk about the scenarios that worry them. If they are worried about where to sit or who to talk to, help them plan a strategy and practice it so that they'll know what to do. 

• Celebrate the start of a New School Year: If you celebrate the first day of school, your kids will see back-to-school as  something they can enjoy. Try a back-to-school party the day before school starts, complete with cake, balloons and educational gifts. Or, you could treat the kids to a special breakfast on the first day of school. Give them a little "First Day of School" gift. And don't forget to take pictures of them in front of the house on the first day of school in their favorite outfit.
• Click this link for more tips and advice.

Have a Great School Year, Everyone!

Photo Credit: Max Fischer at Pexels